Early One Morning
by AnneWhitex
Summary: Upon his arrival to Air Temple Island, Mako explores early in the morning. He expected everyone to be sleeping. What he didn't expect was to see Korra sitting in front of the gates, head in her hands, in such an emotional state. One-shot


**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters  
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The Avatar was impatient, hard-headed, and ill tempered.

She wanted to learn things yesterday, and physically excelled.

Her frustration with learning air bending was evident, but those were all the emotions she showed- frustration and anger.

Mako walked around Air Temple Island, absorbing the beauty that was his new home. It was slightly dark out; the sun would rise in an hour or two. It was way too early for anyone on the island. He walked up the stairs leading to the spinning gates, where he often heard Korra yelling in frustration. He almost expected to hear her groan, not expecting her to be up.

What he didn't expect was hearing a broken voice say to herself, "Why can't I do it?"

Not reaching the top of the stairs, he knew that voice. The emotional state of it was rare and never heard. But the smooth, quiet voice was the Avatar herself.

He surprisingly heard Jinora, the eldest air bending child say "This takes patience, and for your sake it's just opposite to you. You'll get it in given time."

Korra sniffled. "I won't, though. We've been doing this every morning since I arrived. I'm just not getting it." She said almost inaudibly, "I'm just a half baked Avatar."

Mako was well aware that he was eavesdropping. But he was legitimately worried. He's never even heard any mention of Korra ever being in this emotional state. In the midst of his thoughts, he distantly heard Jinora say "Korra, just keep working on it. I'm really exhausted; but for the next few hours, try to meditate. Relax first, then ease into it."

Little footsteps were heard, coming closer to the stairs. Mako looked around frantically, trying to look for a hiding space. His choices were behind a small bush the size of Ikki or behind his hands.

Too late, he thought, as Jinora's head was seen at the stop of the stairs. Her eyes slightly widened at surprise, but returned to normal and tired state. She slightly bowed her head, and politely said "Good morning," and continued walking downstairs.

Mako didn't know how to respond, but was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard _her _begin to cry.

Without thinking, he quickly walked up the steps to something he didn't expect.

Korra's hair was down and she was still in her sleeping clothes, a tank top with long blue shorts. Her body was facing the gates and her head was in her hands.

He brushed away his thoughts on how she looked beautiful, and quickly walked over to her.

"Hey, hey," he said while kneeling next to her and rubbing her back, "what's going on?"

Korra was startled, to say the least. It wasn't decipherable whether it was too early or too late, but that's enough to explain her surprise.

"Nothing, I'm fine. Just tired."

He scoffed with doubt. "Korra. I'm not that stupid. Please, just tell me."

She hesitated, and took a breath. "I'm such a terrible Avatar. I... Aang was this amazing person who cared about everything and everyone. He was a fully realized Avatar by the time he was twelve. TWELVE. That's what I have to look up to and replicate. But I can't even get air bending down. What kind of Avatar am I?"

"Korra," he began, "Aang was in terrible circumstances. He came out of an iceberg a hundred years after a war had started and inherited Roku's problems. He came out with information that he lost his entire people. He didn't even want to be the Avatar at first. He was given less than a YEAR to master the three elements because there was a war. He was under pressure. And he was more spiritually connected because he was an air nomad. You two are entirely different people, you can't base it off him."

Korra let this all sink in.

Mako continued after a moment of silence. "I'm pretty sure all the Avatars had their struggle with an element. This is just a little bump. Please, just realize that you are amazing and this is a minor set-back. In given time, you'll be a master."

Korra smiled a little and hugged him.

"C' mon," she said. "I want to show you the lemurs on the island. They're so playful."

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A few months later, Mako would see Korra get her bending taken away.

He would try to run away with her and save her.

He would be blood bent by Amon, and Korra would stop him.

By air bending.

He would confess his love in the Southern Water Tribe, and she would run off with Naga.

He would follow her, and see her bend all four elements.

He would look on in shock, and smile. Because he would know that all the said that morning had come true.

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